Valley's first Elevation Burger to open in South Whitehall

Elevation Burger, a chain known for its organic approach to burgers, will hold a soft opening next week in the Village West Shopping Center in South Whitehall Township.

According to franchisee James Lee of Breinigsville, a grand opening celebration is planned for next weekend, Sept. 28-29.

Elevation Burgers are made with an “elevated” product —100 percent certified organic, grass-fed, free-range and ground-on-premises beef. Other menu items include freshly cut fries, which are cooked in heart-healthy olive oil, as well as hand-scooped ice cream.

According to the company's website, the Arlington-Va.-based business was conceived in 2002 when founder Hans Hess couldn’t find the burger he’d been dreaming about since he left California in 1999. Seeing an opportunity, Hans focused his energy on creating a burger that truly stands apart from the rest in terms of taste and sustainability.

After three years of careful planning and many hours of research and development, Hess and his wife, April, opened the first Elevation Burger in 2005.

The eatery at 3100 W. Tilghman St. is the chain's fourth location in Pennsylvania and the first one in the Lehigh Valley. There are currently 33 Elevation Burgers spanning 11 states.